Maurice Lucas
The enforcer and emotional heart of the 1977 Trail Blazers, whose tough, intelligent play defined an era of physical basketball.
1952–2010 (age 58)·American basketball player and coach·Birthday: February 18·Baby Boomers
Biography
Maurice 'The Enforcer' Lucas played basketball with a calculated ferocity that made him the cornerstone of one of the NBA's most beloved championship teams. Before teaming with Bill Walton in Portland, he cut his teeth in the rough-and-tumble ABA, developing a reputation as a player not to be trifled with. His arrival in Portland transformed the Blazers. Lucas provided the muscle, the mid-range jump shot, and, most importantly, the fierce competitive will that perfectly complemented Walton's cerebral passing. Their partnership led the '77 Blazers to an improbable title. Lucas's famous staredown of Darryl Dawkins in the finals encapsulated his role: he was the team's protector. His game was built on more than intimidation, though; he was a skilled passer and a consistent scorer. After his playing days, he transitioned into coaching, imparting his hard-nosed wisdom to a new generation of players.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Maurice was born in 1952, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Maurice Was Born
The biggest hits of 1952
#1 Movie
The Greatest Show on Earth
Best Picture
The Greatest Show on Earth
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Maurice's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1952Born
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1957Started school
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1965Became a teenager
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1968Could drive
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1970Could vote
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1973Turned 21
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1982Turned 30
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 40
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 50
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2010Died at 58
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
Key Achievements
- Won an NBA championship as the starting power forward for the Portland Trail Blazers in 1977.
- Selected as a four-time NBA All-Star (1977–1979, 1983).
- Named to the ABA All-Time Team, honoring his impact in the rival league.
- His jersey number 20 was retired by the Portland Trail Blazers in 1988.
Did You Know?
He was drafted in both the ABA and the NBA in 1974, choosing the ABA's Spirits of St. Louis first.
He led the NBA in personal fouls during the 1977-78 season.
After retiring, he served as an assistant coach for the Portland Trail Blazers, including during their 1990 and 1992 NBA Finals runs.
He was known for his meticulous preparation and often studied game film extensively.
“You have to establish your territory on the court early, or it gets taken from you.”
